Fisheries research projects attract FRDC funding

An innovative method to better age crabs and lobsters, and improving the involvement of Indigenous Australians in fisheries resources management are two Southern Cross University research projects which have received more than $550,000 through the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC).

Both projects – ‘Direct age determination with validation for commercially important Australian lobster and crab species (western, eastern, southern and ornate rock lobster, and crystal, Tasmanian giant and mud crab)’ and ‘Improving Indigenous Australian access to and involvement in the management and use of Australia’s fisheries resources’ – are supported by funding from the FRDC on behalf of the Australian Government.

Research Associate Jesse Leland in the Marine Ecology Research Centre has been awarded around $280,000 over two years for his crustacean research.

Mr Leland has identified clear growth marks in gastric ossicles (stomach bones) from several key Australian species, demonstrating that direct age determination of crustaceans is possible.

“This project is needed to produce validated ages for mostly long-lived slow-growing species, across their full size range and in climatic regions other than the cool temperate conditions assessed previously,” said Mr Leland.

Australia’s crustacean fisheries generate more than a billion dollars annually.

Mr Leland said age information was important for calculating growth, mortality, recruitment and productivity, and was a critical component for any sustainable fisheries management plan.

“The American lobster was shown to live for up to 30 years and some of Australia’s lobster species could be of a similar longevity. Tasmanian giant crab grow to substantial size in very deep and cold water and are likely to be quite long lived. Validated age information will facilitate continued sustainability of Australia’s lobster and crab fisheries, with flow-on benefits to all participants.”

Associate Professor Stephan Schnierer in the School of Environment, Science and Engineering has received around $300,000 over two years for his research into Indigenous involvement in Australian fisheries resources.

“While some small steps have been taken, Indigenous Australians’ long and continuing relationship with fisheries resources has yet to be sufficiently addressed by the various Australian fisheries jurisdictions and their management agencies,” Associate Professor Schnierer said.

“For a long time in Australia, Indigenous cultural fishing was ignored or treated as a recreational fishery and this has led to management policies and strategies that have negatively impacted the ability of Indigenous communities to derive economic benefits from their traditionally targeted species and to maintain their Traditional Fisheries Knowledge (TFK).

“This right of Indigenous people to their biological resources, recognised in various international conventions and, to some extent, in the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC), has been limited in Australian fisheries jurisdiction.

“The FRDC, to its credit, has recognised Indigenous fishing as the first fishery in Australia and has been allocating RD&E resources in support of the research needs of Indigenous Australians. The flow on benefits of this will be a more equitable share of Australia’s fisheries resources for Indigenous people and a greater voice in their management,” Professor Schnierer said.

This is the fourth FRDC-funded project Professor Schnierer has received in as many years, representing a significant investment in research by FRDC into Indigenous fisheries.

Photo: Research Associate Jesse Leland studies a moulted shell from an Eastern Rock Lobster.